by Rene Bonsubre,Jr.

Hours ago, reports stated that Sampson Boxing won the rights to stage the IBF light flyweight eliminator between IBF number 3 contender Christian Araneta (17-0, 14 KO’s) of the Philippines and number 4 Augustin Gauto (12-0, 8 KO’s) of Argentina. 

The 24 year old Araneta's last fight was in December when he got a unanimous verdict against fellow Filipino Vincent Bautista in Cebu City.

"We already started preparing since January. We knew when Araneta was ranked number three by the IBF that we would be headed for an eliminator.”’ Omega gym trainer Julius Erving Junco told this writer, "I have seen a video of his opponent, he is very good, He is a counter puncher. But we have a good chance of winning.”

Junco is one of the more diligent young trainers here in the Philippines when it comes to studying fight videos and training techniques. 

Omega Promotions VP Jerome Calatrava told this writer that the venue of the bout is most likely in Metro Manila on October 6. He mentioned MP Promotions and Sampson Boxing as the partners of Omega in this promotion.  

They were a bit wary before the result of the purse bidding was announced. Seven years ago, when John Riel Casimero was still an Omega Gym boxer, he faced Luis Alberto Lazarte in Mar de Plata, Argentina for the IBF interim light flyweight title. Casimero beat Lazarte but the Argentine fans started to riot and assaulted Casimero and his team. This resulted in Lazarte being banned for life by the IBF and it was even reported that the Filipino ambassador to Argentina filed a protest.

Augustin Mauro Gauto sports the ring moniker ‘El Avion’ or the Plane, is twenty one years old and undefeated. He is from Buenos Aires, the reigning IBF Youth light flyweight champ and a former South American flyweight titleholder. 

Araneta aka The Bomb, does not have an extensive amateur background. He spent most of his career without any fanfare, away from the TV cameras. He was born in Borbon, Cebu and grew up with a slightly shorter left leg. This did not stop him from taking up boxing when he was 14 years old.

 It was in 2015 when he upset erstwhile world ranked Jessie Espinas. This made a few veteran Filipino boxing writers sit up and take notice. He would win a WBO Oriental title and a WBC ABCO Silver belt. Araneta would be sidelined for a year after suffering a right shoulder injury during training in 2017.  His other notable win happened last year, against former world title challenger Jerry Tomogdan, who Araneta knocked out with one punch in the twelfth and final round.

The IBF 108-pound title is currently held by Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado (35-2, 30 KO’s), who won the vacant title last August by beating Filipino Randy Petalcorin in seven rounds in the Philippines. Alvarado defended successfully on May 19 defeating Japanese Reiya Konishi in Kobe,Japan by unanimous decision. 

File Photo – Christian Araneta during the weigh-in for his fight against Jerry Tomogdan last year in Cebu.

​By Rene Bonsubre,Jr

There are no hard and fast ways to assess a boxing prospect. We usually look first for speed and power. But as the fighter’s career moves forward, we examine the quality of his opponents.Then, we look closer at his reactions during a fight. How did he respond to being cut or hurt? Has he really been tested?

Making a list of promising fighters can be both difficult and enjoyable. In a boxing country like the Philippines, you can be sure there are a lot of boxers competing for attention. 

These are just a few raring to make some noise in 2019:
ROMERO DUNO (18-1, 14KO’s) – he comes from the talent rich Sanman Gym of Gen.Santos City. His advantage over the other up and comers is the television exposure he got when he was signed by Oscar dela Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. It all started with his second round knockout win over Golden Boy prospect Christian Gonzalez in Los Angeles.

Five of Duno’s last six bouts were held in the U.S. He continues to improve under the tutelage of former WBC light flyweight champ Rodel Mayol. Duno is scheduled to face India’s Kuldeep Danda in Pasay City, Philippines this February 9.

The Sanman Gym also boasts of Reymart Gaballo, who won the WBA interim bantamweight title last year. They suffered a major disappointment on home soil with the TKO loss of Randy Petalcorin against Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado in their fight for the vacant IBF light flyweight title. The Sanman group is still looking for that elusive regular world title. Duno continuing to fight under the banner of Golden Boy could make that dream a reality. 

CHRISTIAN ARANETA (17-0, 14KO’s) – very few fans noticed his upset TKO win against another world ranked Filipino, Jessie Espinas in 2015. Last year, his bone-chilling twelfth round KO of former world title challenger Jerry Tomogdan was also not televised and witnessed by a handful of fight fans in Mandaue City, Cebu.

Araneta doesn’t have an extensive amateur background. His defensive deficiencies are compensated by his uncanny Arturo Gatti-like ability to recuperate. He suffers from a lack of television exposure and has not seen action abroad.

He does have raw power which is obviously a factor why his handlers in the Omega Gym of Cebu are eyeing a world title shot. His current ranking as a light flyweight – WBO number 11, WBC number 10 and WBA number 9.

JEO SANTISIMA (17-2,14KO’s) – fighting under the banner of ALA Promotions leads to more media and TV coverage in the Philippines. But it also means meticulous scrutiny from the fans and pundits.

Santisima is being tagged by the veteran boxing writers in Cebu as having the tools to be the next Donnie Nietes. That is a very high bar, considering Nietes’ body of work. But just like the four-division champ who has been on top for almost twelve years now, Santisima is a low-key but solid boxer. 

Three years ago, Santisima had a notable TKO win against countryman Marco Demecillo, who at that point in time was still considered a dangerous puncher here in Cebu. He also had an eye catching TKO against Tanzanian Goodluck Mrema in 2017 and beat Mexican Victor Lopez by unanimous decision last December. 

The WBO ranks Santisima at number 10 and he holds the WBO Oriental junior featherweight title.

The other ALA contenders to watch are Albert Pagara – who is still rebuilding after his TKO loss to Cesar Juarez – and KJ Cataraja, who just captured his first major ranking belt last November.

CARL JAMMES MARTIN (11-0,10KO’s) – the Ifugao rising star is set for his Metro Manila debut on February 16 against Thai Petchorchae Kokietgym. Martin has fought foreign foes in his home province winning regional belts with the WBC, WBA and WBO. His fights have been shown live on social media but has yet to be tested against higher level opponents.

He has a fan-friendly all-action style and could wind up becoming a big name if he gets more fights on television.

Martin is the number 10 bantamweight contender of the WBO and ranked number 14 by the WBA. 

JOE NOYNAY (16-2-1,5KO’s)  – he was an underdog when he won against the previously unbeaten Chinese rising star Pan Jinxiang in Zhongshan,China by technical decision in the eighth round last December 2017. He scored two knockdowns against Pan and took the WBO Asia Pacific Youth junior lightweight title after the fight was stopped due to a worsening head-butt inflicted cut on Noynay. 

Noynay’s resolve was tested last year in his hometown of Bogo,Cebu.Promoter Bebot Elorde brought in Mexican Hector Garcia who pushed Noynay to his physical limits and treated the sell-out crowd to a memorable ring war. Noynay got a majority decision win and defended against another Chinese boxer Zhang Qixiu five months later in Pasay City. Zhang was stopped in eight rounds.

The fight in Bogo is the yardstick of Noynay’s present level. He showed heart and toughness. His handler’s will have to match him this year with boxers who will be useful in his continuing development. Noynay is currently ranked number 11 junior lightweight contender by the WBO. 

GIEMEL MAGRAMO (23-1,19KO’s) – his victory against one of China’s highly regarded prospects, Ge Wenfeng propelled Magramo to be ranked as one of the top ten flyweights in Ring magazine. Both were ranked in the top ten by the WBO with Ge holding the International title and Magramo the Oriental belt.

Magramo relied on pressure and volume punching and the fight was halted at the end of the tenth, with Ge’s right eye closed shut.

Prior to his win in Suzhou,China, the boxer handled by Johnny Elorde was seen in a local televised fight, stopping Thai Petchorchae Kokietgym in three rounds on the undercard of the IBF world light flyweight title bout between Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado and Filipino Randy Petalcorin .

He is ranked number five by the WBO but he is still a few fights away from being ready to challenge the world champion Kosei Tanaka of Japan. Magramo, who comes from a boxing family, is also ranked by the WBC #5, IBF#9 and WBA#8.

There are Filipinos involved in upcoming crucial eliminators: 

Countrymen MICHAEL DASMARIÑAS (28-2-1,19KO’s) and KENNY DEMECILLO (14-4-2,8KO’s) will engage in an IBF bantamweight eliminator in Singapore this March 29. 

Dasmariñas already has an IBO world title. He got a lot of attention when he knocked out Karim Guerfi of France last year in the fourth round. He will be going for one of the four major titles for the first time. Demecillo’s career hit a road bump when he was outpointed by another Filipino, Mark Anthony Geraldo two years ago in Hong Kong. But he got a big win in Russia last year, knocking out Vyacheslav Mirzaev in five rounds.

ASTON PALICTE (24-2-1,20KO’s) will face unbeaten Puerto Rican Jose Martinez (20-0-2,13KO’s) in California on January 31 for the right to face WBO junior bantamweight champion Donnie Nietes.

Palicte already fought Nietes and the fight ended in a debatable draw. This was the second all-Filipino world title bout held last year.

ROBERT PARADERO (17-0,11KO’s) was supposed to be involved in an eliminator last December for the WBO minimumweight title held by fellow Filipino Vic Saludar. The fight didn’t push through but Paradero remains the number one ranked WBO contender at 105 lbs.

It will also be interesting to see if Filipinos who came up short in their world title bids can bounce back. Joey Canoy had to settle for a no contest while the likes of Mercito Gesta, Vince Paras, Froilan Saludar, Randy Petalcorin and Mark Anthony Barriga lost. 

GENESIS SERVANIA (32-1,15KO’s) remains a potent force. He lost by unanimous decision to WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez in 2017. But Servania was signed by Top Rank and bounced back with three straight wins.

He is scheduled to fight unbeaten Carlos Castro (21-0,9KO’s) of the U.S. in California on February 10. 

Photo – top row left to right – Romero Duno, Christian Araneta, Jeo Santisima, bottom row left to right – Carl Jammes Martin, Joe Noynay, Giemel Magramo